BLUEBERRY PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT FOR LOCAL MARKETS FY 2012

Blueberry production fits well with the structure of small family farms and land types found in central and eastern Kentucky, and has the potential to add significantly to the currently low net farm incomes realized in these regions. The greatest potential expansion of blueberry demand lies in frozen, dried, or processed value-added blueberry food products. However, the nature of consumer demand for these non-fresh fruit products is not well understood. This project addressed the potential to develop frozen and value-added blueberry products utilizing Kentucky-grown blueberries, and to market them to the Kentucky School Lunch Program (KSLP) as well as directly to consumers through retail groceries and local restaurants. Focus groups of industry experts, public school menu planners and KSLP administrators helped guide product development and packaging design as well as economic assessment of product supply and consumer demand. Product sensory analysis and economic choice experiments also were completed to allow rigorous assessment of pilot products. Food scientists and economists at the University of Kentucky Food Systems Innovation Center (FSIC) assisted the Kentucky Blueberry Growers Association (KBGA) to evaluate washing and drying stations, blast freezer specifications, and long term frozen storage options. The FSIC also worked with the Kentucky State Health Department to establish a HACCP plan and washing/freezing protocols, and assisted the KBGA in creating recipes using frozen blueberries suitable for use in school cafeteria. The success of the project was due in large part to close collaboration with the KBGA, the Kentucky School Nutrition Association, and Fayette County School District nutritionists and cafeteria workers. KBGA indicated that this project helped them in market development for their products, resulting in sales of frozen, ready-to-bake Blueberry Oatmeal Bars to 30 Schools Districts. KBGA also noted that it was very close to having grocery store products on the shelves of major retailers under the “Bluegrass Fresh” label. FINAL REPORT Contact: Marvin T. Batte Research Professor Department of Agricultural Economics University of Kentucky 614-795-7120 marvin.batte@uky.edu

FSMIP Final Report

Title of the Project: Blueberry Product Development for Local Markets

Research Team: Marvin T. Batte, Tim Woods, and Wuyang Hu, Professors, Department of

Agricultural Economics, University of Kentucky.

Grant Period: 10/01/2012 through 09/30/2014

An outline of the issue or problem.

Blueberry production fits well with the structure of small family farms and land types found in

central and eastern Kentucky. This enterprise has the potential to add significantly to the

currently low net farm incomes realized in these regions. However, a significant increase in

blueberry production without a concomitant increase in market demand will result in lower

prices and diminished profitability. The greatest potential expansion of blueberry demand lies in

expansion of frozen, dried, or processed value-added blueberry food products. However, the

nature of consumer demand for these non-fresh fruit products is not well understood. There is

also a potential to expand the use of frozen and processed blueberry food products by institutions

such as Kentucky public schools.

This project addressed the potential to develop frozen and value-added blueberry food products

utilizing Kentucky grown blueberries and to market these to the Kentucky School Lunch

Program as well as directly to consumers through retail groceries and local restaurants. Focus

groups of industry experts, public school menu planners and Kentucky Public School Lunch

program administrators were completed to provide information to guide product development

and packaging design as well as economic assessment of product supply and consumer demand.

Product sensory analysis and economic choice experiments also were completed to allow

rigorous assessment of pilot products.

A description of how the issue or problem was approached via the project.

Flash freezing and other processing of blueberry fruit represents an opportunity for significant

expansion of sales of Kentucky-produced blueberries through institutional programs such as the

Kentucky farm-to-school fruit program as well as retail marketing through traditional grocery

outlets or through local restaurants. The goal of our research was to assist in the evaluation of

market opportunities for frozen blueberry fruit products and other value-added blueberry

products. Our specific objectives included:

1. To assist Kentucky blueberry producers in the development and evaluation of frozen

blueberries and processed blueberry products, packaging, quality assessment, shelf dates,

and nutritional assessment both for institutional food markets and for retail groceries.

2. To explore demand for frozen blueberries and other value-added blueberry food products

for institutional markets through focus groups with school-aged children and public school

menu planners / dietitians who are responsible for purchasing foods for primary/secondary

school lunches. Sensory analyses of these value-added foods also will be done with school-

aged children and public school menu planners / dietitians.

3. To explore the demand for frozen blueberries and other value-added blueberry food

products for retail markets through focus groups of retail grocers, restaurant managers and

other retail professionals and to perform sensory analyses and economic experiments with

adult food consumers to specifically identify the value associated with KY Proud and/or

other measures of “locally grown”, nutrition information, and other attributes within these

market channels.

To accomplish objective one, the project team worked with food scientists and nutritionists at the

University of Kentucky Food Systems Innovation Center (FSIC) to help the Kentucky Blueberry

Growers Association (KBGA) design appropriate washing and freezing facilities for blueberries;

to develop recipes and nutritional content labels for frozen ready-to-bake blueberry products, and

to assess other processing and storage requirements for these products. Economists worked with

the KBGA to estimate costs of products and to assess the preference for various products by

school aged children and adults.

Objective two, the assessment of school age childrens’ preferences for various frozen and baked

blueberry products in the school lunch program was accomplished by working closely with the

Kentucky School Nutrition Association and with personnel in the Fayette County school district

in Lexington. Sample foods were provided to students, and simple, easy to interpret choice

evaluation instruments were used to gain insight into student preferences for different blueberry

food products. Students were evaluated at several grade levels, ranging from grade one through

high school seniors. We also completed focus group exercises with school nutritionists and

cafeteria workers to gain insight as to factors that restrict adoption of ready local food products

in general, and frozen, ready-to-bake blueberry food products in particular.

Objective three was accomplished by evaluating three packaged home preparation recipes,

similar to products that might be sold through grocery stores. The experiment was conducts by

providing 120 adults with two packaged blueberry food products, asking them to prepare these

foods in their home kitchen, and then to evaluate the two products. These take-and bake

experiments provide an assessment of both the home preparation experience as well as the

quality of the finished product.

Contribution of public or private agency partners in the work performed.

The success of this project was due in large part to close collaboration with two key groups. The

Kentucky Blueberry Growers Association provided significant resources in terms of both raw

materials (frozen blueberries) as well as time allocated by key association members to help in the

design and testing of blueberry frozen, ready-to-bake products. The KBGA contributed in

excess of $4,800 of products and services to our project (see attached letter detailing these

contributions).

The Kentucky School Nutrition Association, and nutritionists and cafeteria workers with the

Fayette County School District were invaluable as we assessed the potential for frozen and ready

to bake blueberry food products for the Kentucky Farm-to-School program. We conducted a

focus group with selected members of the Kentucky School Nutrition Association at their 2013

annual conference in Lexington. This feedback helped to guide our assessment of blueberry food

products for that program.

A summary of results, conclusions, and lessons learned.

This has been a very successful project, addressing the most important portions of all objectives.

Specific activities, accomplishments and conclusions follow:

1. Food scientists and economists at the University of Kentucky Food Systems Innovation

Center (FSIC) assisted the Kentucky Blueberry Growers Association (KBGA) to evaluate

washing and drying stations, blast freezer specifications, and long term frozen storage

options. The FSIC also worked with the KY State Health Department to establish a

HACCP plan and washing/freezing protocols.

2. Food scientists at the FSIC evaluated alternative packaging for frozen berries that are

appropriate for supplying schools and other institutional markets.

3. Food scientists at the FSIC assisted the KBGA in the development of product recipes

using frozen blueberries suitable for use in school cafeterias.

4. Project personnel worked with the KBGA to prepare a poster and other information for

dissemination at the annual meeting of the Kentucky School Nutrition Association in

Lexington regarding the appropriateness of frozen and processed blueberry food products

for the Kentucky Farm-to-School lunch program.

5. Food scientists at the FSIC developed several recipes for frozen ready-to-bake products

to utilize frozen blueberries and targeted to elementary to high school cafeterias.

Nutritional facts were developed for each product.

6. Project personnel conducted a focus group meeting of Kentucky school nutrition

coordinators, cafeteria mangers and other associated personnel. This meeting was

conducted at the annual meeting of the Kentucky School Nutrition Association in

Lexington. This meeting identified both areas of interest for expansion of the local foods

program in school and primary restraints hindering expansion.

7. During the 2013-2014 school year, economists at the FSIC have worked with Fayette

County Schools to administer a number of taste test experiments and student surveys for

10 blueberry products designed for the school lunch program. These were administered

to students at various grade levels from 1st to 12th grades. We have taste test observations

for 119 elementary school children, 48 middle schoolers, and 34 high school students.

Results show that there are very clear favorites among students for several of the 10

blueberry food products. It also shows that there are differences in these preferences

among students by age/grade levels. More rigorous analyses of the taste test data are

underway to more fully explore the level of preferences among the food products and by

student grade level. We anticipate that these results will be useful to both the KBGA and

to school nutritionists as they explore ways to utilize these products in the farm-to-school

lunch program.

8. Project personnel also assisted the KBGA in the development and evaluation of three

products potentially suitable for grocery markets. An innovative take and bake evaluation

was completed where 120 adult consumers were provided with two packaged blueberry

food products. They were asked to prepare these foods in their home kitchen, and then to

evaluate the two products. These experiments provide an assessment of both the home

preparation experience as well as the quality of the finished product.

The KBGA association has indicated that our involvement has helped them to make great strides

in market development for their products. They report:

1. The KBGA has sold frozen, ready-to-bake Blueberry Oatmeal Bars to 30 Schools

Districts with 5 schools re-ordering and other schools indicating that they intend to put

them on the menu. Fayette County Schools plan to serve these products district wide on

Kentucky Proud days in January.

2. The KBGA indicates that it “is very close to having the first 3 grocery store products on

the shelves of Whole Foods, Good Foods and possibly IGA. The products are going to be

branded as Bluegrass Fresh.” They have applied for trademark for the Bluegrass Fresh

product name. Initially, they will market a 10 ounce package of frozen local blueberries,

a 10 ounce package frozen local blackberries and a grocery store, family size package of

frozen ready-to-bake Blueberry Oatmeal Bars.

3. The KBGA has been awarded a 2014 USDA Specialty Crops Block Grant Program

award. This is due in large part to development work that was conducted in conjunction

with our project. The grant will allow purchase of necessary equipment to facilitate

meeting market demand for the products developed for the Farm-to-School and retail

grocery markets.

A discussion of current or future benefits to be derived from the project.

Project is expected to provide a number of benefits to both farmers and consumers in the state

and beyond. Specific examples of these benefits include:

1. Processed berry products allow an expansion of the marketing window for locally

produced blueberries, reducing risk to berry producers.

2. Kentucky blueberry acreage is expected to increase significantly in response to expanded

market demand for processed local berries, with a concomitant increase in Kentucky farm

incomes.

3. Frozen and processed local blueberries will expand the range of local products that can be

delivered to school children through the Farm-to-School program.

4. Consumers who prefer local foods will have an expanded range of local blueberry

products available throughout the year.

5. The processed blueberry products demonstrated during this project will serve as a useful

model for producers of other local fruits and vegetables, perhaps allowing significant

expansion in annual production and marketing for a number of alternative crops.

Expansion into other fruit product lines will allow more complete utilization of freezing

and processing equipment, allow a reduction in fixed costs of operations.

Recommendations for future research and next steps.

The Kentucky Farm-to-School food program is off to a great start. Yet, our work both with

schools and the KBGA suggests that substantial hurdles remain in terms of matching sellers and

buyers of local food products; providing a safe and reliable food delivery system to connect local

food supplies with schools; and providing local foods in formats that are both desired by students

and suitable for school cafeteria equipment and constraints. Further research in this area is

needed.

Frozen/processed local foods clearly have a niche in retail food markets. However, there is a

significant barrier to entry into this market. More research is needed to understand the primary

demands of retail grocers of local food processor, and how these concerns might best be

addressed.

We suspect that there is substantial potential demand for frozen or processed local foods for sit-

down restaurants. This market potential is not something that we were able to address within this

project, and is an ideal candidate for future research.

A description of the project beneficiaries including the number, type and scale of

producers, processors, and other businesses.

Results of this project will be beneficial to a number of groups including farmers/producers, food

processors, food logistics firms, grocery stores, restaurants, and consumers. The Kentucky

Blueberry Growers Association has more than 200 members within Kentucky plus some out-of-

state producer members. Currently, the KBGA is both producing and processing the local berry

products. However, should this market expand significantly, opportunities will exist for many

other firms to expand into the processing and logistics service areas. Consumers will benefit

from greater availability of local foods out of season in both grocery and restaurant formats.

Expansion of local food products offered to the Farm-to-School lunch program will benefit the

many students in public and private schools both within Kentucky and nationally.

Contact Information:

Marvin T. Batte

Research Professor

Department of Agricultural Economics

University of Kentucky

400 C.E. Barnhart Building

Lexington, KY 40546-0276

Phone: 614-795-7120

Email: marvin.batte@uky.edu

Appendices

MEMO: TO: Tim Woods and Marv Batte - University of Kentucky Agriculture Economics FROM: Larry A. Martin Sr., President – Kentucky Blueberry Grower Association SUBJECT: USDA-FSMIP - Blueberry Product Development for Local Markets – Kentucky Blueberry Growers Association Contribution to Project DATE: September 19, 2014 To Whom it May Concern: The Kentucky Blueberry Growers Association (KBGA) contributed over $4,800 to the Blueberry Product Development for Local Markets – USDA-FSMIP over the two years project time period. The KBGA provided and delivered 400 pounds of blueberries to the University of Kentucky Food Systems Innovation Center; the blueberries were delivered in two separate batches. The value of the blueberries was $1600 with deliver costs of $400. The total cost of the blueberries provided and delivered was $2,000. The KBGA used an additional 250 pounds of blueberries in product development work in the KBGA commercial kitchen, valued at $1,000. Additional, the KBGA contributed in excess of $1,800 worth of personnel time to this project that includes product development work, travel time, and participation in farm to school functions. The Kentucky Blueberry Growers Association is pleased to have had the opportunity to work with the University of Kentucky and the Food Systems Innovation Center on this project. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. Thank you, Larry Larry A. Martin, Sr. President Kentucky Blueberry Growers Association

Farm to School: What School Foodservice Managers are Looking

for from Local Farmers

Dr. Tim Woods University of Kentucky

Why Consumers (and FSDs and Kids) Value “Local”

Minimizing food miles/energy dependency

Land and environment Perceived Safety and

Quality Support local ag and

economy

Thilmany, Bond, Bond (2008)

Heritage Quality/Health benefits Environment and

Economy Citizenship and

community

Woods & Williamson (2013)

Kale Chip Trial Day

Tresine Logdson – Energy and Sustainability Curriculum Coordinator Fayette County Schools, Kentucky – with student team

Cafeteria staff, teachers, FSDs

Lunch line education Farm market helpers

Working with farmers to build mutually beneficial programs

Food service director difficulties Finding farmers Economics of distribution Scheduling product Seasonality Finding products that work in the school cafeteria Meeting nutritional requirements Federal cost limitations vs cost of high quality food

Opportunities and Innovations

Expanded USDA F&V programs for lower income schools

Growing consumer interest in local foods Many education linkages to local agriculture and

food Many local products in season are simply better

quality Season extensions and more summer programs Value-adding Innovative ways to engage students

Diced Butternut Squash

Frozen, cubed product in cardboard and freezer bag for easy cafeteria handling

Pricing: Schools

Produce is typically bid on a weekly/bi-weekly basis

Food Service Director (FSD) must get 3 quotes for products Quotes must be meet bid specifications and fall within

acceptable price range Geographic preference points can be awarded to local farmers FSD can accept bids from more that one producer

FSD’s will tell you what they can afford Ask FSD for past prices paid for similar products

Kale chips at Rosa Parks Elementary

Pricing: Schools

Schools typically on limited budget, but comparable to other foodservice/wholesale

FSD Menu Pricing allows about $1.60 Per Meal Milk $.30 per serving Fruit $.30 per serving Vegetables $.30 per serving Meat $.55 per serving Bread $.15 per serving $1.60 per meal

Supply: Schools

Consistent volume/availability of product is often cited by Food Service Directors as a barrier to purchasing locally

Different school districts require different volumes of products

Jefferson County Public Schools Fayette County Public Schools Owsley County Public Schools

COMMUNICATION IS KEY!

FSD Farm to School Barriers

Limited Food Service Director awareness of seasonal product availability

Consistent volume/availability of product Adapting menus to feature local items Time involved in connecting with farmers and

negotiating terms Issues with quality and distribution Time spent processing and preparing items

School Delivery Needs and Options Vary

Some sample Kentucky communities Jefferson County (Louisville) Large district, spread out, central kitchen and distribution

network

Fayette County (Lexington) Large district, spread out, no central kitchen or distribution

Bowling Green Independent 7 schools within a 15 mile loop, teachers may help with delivery

Warren County 23 schools, no central kitchen or distribution, takes one whole

day to make all deliveries

FSD Expectations of Satisfaction Guarantee

FSD methods of handling unsatisfactory products Refusal to accept delivery Credit/reimbursement Replacement of items

FSD MUST have necessary products to meet menu requirements

Products must be uniform / consistent Consistent nutrition information Estimating # of portions Make sure all kids get same amount

Connecting with the kids

Cafeteria Signage

Sampling Blueberry Products with Kids

3 C’s of Farm to School

“We did a taste testing with heirloom tomatoes and the farmer actually came and was passing out the tomatoes, and we said this is the

farmer…. The kids were just like ‘Oh wow, a real life farmer!’ It was just really exciting.”

-Fayette County FSD

3 C’s of Farm to School

Community Engage the community

Cafeteria Use the cafeteria to promote local foods and farms

Classroom Implementing a Farm to School curriculum and learning

experiences

3 C’s of Farm to School

Community Speak at community events Encourage schools to invite the community to the school for local

food fairs and events

Cafeteria Help Food Service personnel create special recipes to promote

your products Hand out samples to students at the school Meet school faculty and staff

Classroom Help educate students about the importance of local food! Invite schools to bring students out for farm visits Visit the school and teach students about agriculture

…

Presenter: Dr. Tim A. Woods Extension Professor, University of Kentucky

Agricultural Economics tim.woods@uky.edu, 859.257.7270 x.274 Questions?

Blueberry and Local Foods Focus Group Conducted at the Kentucky School Nutrition Association annual meeting in Lexington, KY Wednesday, June 19, 2013 – Lexington Convention Center In attendance: about 10 Food Service Directors & Cafeteria Managers Schedule – 60 minutes Introduction/directions/paperwork/blueberry product samples – 5 minutes Local food sourcing exercise – 5 minutes Benefits to local sourcing – 15 minutes Potential for local foods – 10 minutes Barriers to local sourcing – 15 minutes Benefits to Sourcing from Local Producers – 15 minutes

1. What do you think are the benefits of sourcing food locally? a. “I think it’s the neatest thing that kids see food on the vine, then eat it from the

cafeteria line.” b. Picked that morning. So fresh, good for kids and good for them to know where it came

from. c. Take message of relationship to food home, send basic recipes home with the kids. d. Stays fresher better and longer in cafeteria kitchens. e. More nutrition because it’s picked when ripe. f. Kids notice freshness, and when it is available, we want to feed it to them. g. As a school, we are giving back to the community. Building relationships within our

community is very important. h. Kids will try new things if they know it’s fresh and local. i. Pictures of farmers and fresh food at school, in the cafeteria. j. Fayette County Schools are tying in core-content of sustainability (fossil fuel use w/math

and science). They have created a few farm-to-school lesson plans, and have conducted pre-test and post-test surveys of students who participated.

k. Daviess County Schools found that farmers were afraid to bid because of the size of the school district. So, they split the county into 4 regions.

l. School gardens and greenhouses help students connect to fresh produce and nurturing plants to grow food. But the gardens often fail in the summertime without the help of Family Resource Coordinator, PTA or a summer school class that is dedicated to working outside for a little bit each day.

m. Grant County Schools Food Service Director started classes to teach more about nutrition and local foods to students in the district. Now she is known as the “healthy lady”.

n. Small farmers are part of the greater community picture. o. Public eye sees the freshness and community relationships that are being built.

2. Are Farm visits possible?

a. Field trips cost a lot (bus money and liability insurance) and it’s hard to coordinate so many kids onto buses.

b. Warren County Schools take their students to Jackson’s Orchard which is already set up for agritourism.

c. Sometimes growers come during lunchtime and show products and slideshows of their farms.

3. Is there time to be involved in school gardens? a. More time in elementary schools than in middle and high schools. b. The day is so scheduled. No time to spare. c. School gardens help the kids see food production—connecting it to what they eat in the

cafeteria. d. Who will be responsible for the gardens?

i. Farm to School team in Fayette County with 4th graders.

4. What is your most successful farm-to-school product? (if you have one) Why? a. Tomatoes and peppers—formed a great partnership with a grower. b. Hydroponic lettuce and watermelons c. Leaf, Red and Romaine Lettuces. No iceberg served in any Graves County Schools! d. Tomatoes and cucumbers e. Butternut squash day in Fayette. They tried stuff they normally wouldn’t have f. Processed local food is attractive too. Usually higher cost though. g. If producers can deliver to the schools, it makes it much easier for me to buy more. If

not, then I spend a day driving around delivering myself. h. Trying to form a co-op w/farmers through the Madison County Extension Service. i. High School kids don’t know what the dark greens are. j. Price and amount of food are problems k. Grant County Farmers’ Market has a deal with Grant County Schools to come up with a

blanket price and work together as a Market to come up with the total amount of a product that is needed. Grant County Schools pays the Farmers’ Market and then the Farmers’ Market Manager keeps track of what money goes to whom. This has worked really well so very small farmers can join in and sell to schools.

Potential for local foods – 10 minutes

1. What local foods have the greatest potential for success in the school? Why? a. Small or cherry tomatoes are hard to find. Kids love cherry tomatoes. b. Apples, but inconsistent size makes it difficult to put them on line. c. Hard to hold strawberries if they come in before the end of school. d. Tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, cucumbers, strawberries, watermelons (watermelons and

cucumbers are not very labor intensive in the cafeteria.) e. Hydoponic lettuce f. processed local foods are acceptable - processed butternut squash was mentioned. g. Taste Test Thursday or Try It Tuesday h. Give young students a sticker to eat asparagus or beets. i. High tunnel grown food that is out of season. j. items like frozen blueberries in 10 pound bags is fine. There was no apparent interest in

individual service size containers. These likely are cost prohibitive. 2. Does age make a difference in how you “frame” local?

a. High schoolers are already opinionated. b. Focus on elementary students with promos and “Local stickees” (markers that this

product is local) on the line. c. Middle school is easier than high school, but still kids are opinionated and only eat what

their friends eat.

d. Local salad bars were implemented in most elementary schools in Fayette County. e. Hardly any time to educate during the lunch period. f. Tie food into green clubs/teams during after-school programs. g. Education of the palate is needed—hide ingredients in the food and build up the kids’

palates until you can put the products straight on the line. h. 4 of our participants had students participate in the KDA Junior Iron Chef competition.

3. What’s needed to make them successful? a. They sell one way and we buy another (units). “Figuring out pound vs. quart

differences/conversions and then a corresponding price.” b. A team that handles taste testing would be great. c. Online presentations for health, environment, economics while providing pre- and post-

test surveys. d. Keep everyone on the same page and work together. e. Logistics and distribution is often tough. f. Posters and handouts would be good. g. Need more education of food service staff too—local creates significant extra work, and

often resistance follows more work. The attitude of the cafeteria staff really makes a difference in what is consumed by students going through the line.

h. Farmers who are willing to deliver to individual schools. Transportation within the school district can be a challenge with limited staff.

i. Madison County indicated that they are trying to set up a farmers Co-op that will assist in scheduling and delivering.

Barriers to (more) local foods – 15 minutes

1. Local is higher priced. a. “Can I really afford it? It comes down to price.” b. Price and quantity available are often the barriers to purchasing local.

2. Bid process is confusing for some. Specs are very broad. 3. Question of “How labor intensive will this be?” 4. Farmers didn’t know my needs/restrictions and I didn’t know theirs. Opening up

communication lines was essential to our program. 5. Farmers want to sell, but the size and look aren’t always consistent. The food services don’t

want more work. 6. Time is a constraint to do more in terms of field trips and school gardens. Who in the school is

willing to set aside the time to manage this? Even if grant funding is available, who will lead the effort?

7. Funding is a constraint for more visits to local food sites. Buses, liability insurance, etc. 8. One person mentioned a strategy to “educate the palate” – essentially, to teach kids to eat

things that they haven’t before. Having supplemental dishes that are only available on request at first, encouraging experimentation.

9. “Try it Tuesdays” in Fayette county 10. Some cafeteria managers in the school system are open to working with local foods that may

need more prep, others are not. Establishing a common culture within the system has to happen.

Frozen Blueberry Banana Bread Mix Includes dry mix and frozen blueberries, net wt. 25oz (709g)

Baking Instructions Recipe requires: 2 eggs

1/2 cup melted butter 5 ripe medium bananas 2 greased bread pans

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and grease 2 9x5x3 bread pans.

Open the dry mixture packet and empty into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mash the bananas with the eggs and melted butter until well mixed. Gently mix the wet ingredients into the dry mix, adding the blueberry packet last.

Evenly split the dough into 2 greased bread pans, and bake for 50-55 minutes or until golden brown. Or, the bread is finished when you insert a toothpick into the center and it comes out clean. Allow the bread to set for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Recipe makes 2 standard loaves; 24 slices

INGREDIENTS: Bananas, Whole Wheat Flour, Blueberries, Sugar, Butter (sweet cream, salt), Eggs, Baking Powder, Salt, Ground Cinnamon, Ground Nutmeg.

CONTAINS: Egg, Milk, Wheat.

Frozen Blueberry Muffin Mix Includes dry mix and frozen blueberries, net wt. 42oz (1191g)

Baking Instructions

Recipe requires: 3 eggs 3/4 cup vegetable oil 2 cups skim milk 3 standard muffin pans 36 standard muffin tins or cups

Preheat the oven to 400°F, and line 3 12-muffin trays with cups. In a large bowl, whisk all the wet ingredients. Open the dry mix packet and gently fold the contents into the wet ingredients, adding the blueberry packet last to avoid over mixing. Lumps will remain in the batter Evenly pour the batter into muffin tins until 2/3 full, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Allow the muffins to set for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Recipe makes 36 standard muffins

INGREDIENTS: Milk, Sugar, Blueberries, All-Purpose White Flour, Vegetable Oil, Ground Rolled Oats, Eggs, Whole Wheat Flour, Baking Powder, Ground Vanilla Beans, Salt, Ground Cinnamon.

Contains Egg, Milk, Wheat

Frozen Blueberry Pancake Mix Includes dry mix and frozen blueberries, net wt. 13oz (369g)

Baking Instructions

Recipe requires: 1 egg 1 cup milk

In a bowl, whisk all the wet ingredients. Open the dry mix packet and gently fold the contents into the wet ingredients, adding the blueberry packet last to avoid over mixing. Lumps will remain in the batter Heat a griddle or frying pan to medium heat, and coat with oil of choice (butter or vegetable oil). Evenly spoon the batter on the griddle in 6” rounds. Flip the pancakes when bubbles begin to form in the center of the round, about 30 seconds-1 minute. Continue to cook until browned on underside. Serve hot, immediately. Recipe makes approximately 12 six-inch pancakes.

INGREDIENTS: Milk, Blueberries, Whole Wheat Flour, All-Purpose White Flour, Sugar, Eggs, Baking Powder, Salt.

Contains Egg, Milk, Wheat

Blueberry Product Development for Local Markets

A new research project at the University of Kentucky

Funded by the USDA Federal and State Market Improvement Program

Marvin Batte, Tim Woods, and Wuyang Hu, principal investigators

This project addresses the potential to develop frozen and value-

added blueberry food products utilizing Kentucky grown blueberries

and to market these through the Kentucky Farm-to-School Lunch

Program as well as directly to consumers through retail groceries and

local restaurants. Focus groups of industry experts, public school

nutrition coordinators, and Kentucky Public School Lunch program

administrators will provide information to help guide product

development and packaging design as well as economic assessment of

product supply and consumer demand. Product sensory analysis and

economic choice experiments will also allow rigorous assessment of

pilot products.

At the KSNA meetings, we will meet with focus groups to

• Learn more about key issues impacting Farm-to-School success

• Learn the needs of your district so that you are better able to

serve local foods.

Granola Bar (1/2 batch) Nutritionals based on yield of 16 bars per half batch. 2 cups toasted oats ½ cup butter, melted ¼ cup honey ¼ cup brown sugar 1 cup blueberries 1/3rd cup All Purpose Flour ¼ tsp vanilla Instructions: Rinse ½ cup frozen blueberries to partially thaw, allow to drain in a colander while preparing ingredients, and pat dry with paper towel before adding to mix. Machine mix all ingredients except blueberries together at low (1 or 2) speed, then spatula-fold in blueberries. Shape on sheet pan and freeze, score, and store frozen. Break and bake at 375F for 20 minutes. Notes: Do not let them become too brown when baked (will taste like burned sugar). Score deeply, press batter together firmly while molding to discourage crumbling. Best to line sheet pan with parchment paper in order for frozen products to come out cleanly (This applies to all product frozen in sheet pans). Packaging Recommendations: Store scored frozen bars in vacuum-sealed barrier bag sheets for cafeteria distribution/transportation/storage.

Oatmeal Cookie (1/2 batch cookie-bar) Nutritionals based on yield of 16 bars per half batch 1 cup rolled oats ½ cup All purpose flour ½ cup wheat flour 1 ½ tsp baking powder 1/8 tsp salt 1/3 cup granulated white sugar 1/3 cup light brown sugar ½ stick (or ¼ cup) butter, melted 1 egg ½ tsp vanilla ½ cup blueberries Instructions: Rinse ½ cup frozen blueberries to partially thaw, allow to drain in a colander while preparing ingredients, and pat dry with paper towel before adding to mix. Mix sugars, flours, and butter together, then add all other ingredients. Spread onto a sheet pan and freeze, score, and store frozen. Break and Bake at 375F for 19 minutes (15-20) Notes: Score deeply Packaging Recommendations: Store scored frozen bars in vacuum-sealed barrier bag sheets for cafeteria distribution/transportation/storage.

Layered Oatmeal Bar Crust and Topping: Nutritionals based on a yield of 16 bars 1 cup whole wheat flour ¾ cup packed brown sugar ½ tsp salt ½ cup butter, cold and cut into cubes 2 ½ cup untoasted oats 1 egg 2 Tbsp apple juice Instructions: Add flour, brown sugar, and salt to food processor and pulse 1-2 times, add cold butter, pulse 6 times until crumb forms, add oats and pulse 4 times, then add beaten egg and pulse until mixed (2-4 times). Remove 1 ½ cup of mixture and set aside. Add apple juice to remaining mixture and pulse until moist (3-4 times), then press mixture evenly into a sheet pan. Filling: ¼ cup packed brown sugar 2 Tbsp whole wheat flour 3 ½ cup blueberries 1 Tbsp lemon juice Instructions: Rinse 3 ½ cups frozen blueberries to partially thaw, allow to drain in a colander while preparing ingredients, and pat dry with paper towel before adding to mix. Whisk sugar and flour, add fruit and lemon juice and gently toss to combine and coat fruit. Distribute evenly over crust in the sheet pan (bottom layer). Sprinkle the reserved crumb over filling and press firmly into filling. Freeze, score, and store frozen. Break and Bake at 375F for 35 minutes and let cool for at 2 hours. Notes: Make sure berries are thawed and evenly coated with filling ingredients before adding to recipe. Packaging Recommendations: Store scored frozen bars in vacuum-sealed barrier bag sheets for cafeteria distribution/transportation/storage.

Muffin Instructions: Whisk together dry ingredients (or from boxed package), whisk together wet ingredients including frozen blueberries (water, milk, oil). Add dry mix to wet mix and gently fold together, careful not to over mix batter. Crumble on optional topping. Fill standard size muffin tins 2/3 full and bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes. Let muffins remain in the baking tin for approximately 3-4 minutes before transferring to a wire rack for cooling. Notes: Do not over mix batter. It’s normal for lumps to remain in the batter. Packaging Recommendations: Cardboard box containing 1 barrier bag portion of dry mix and 1 barrier bag portion of frozen berries. Store in freezer for grocery store or cafeteria distribution.

Blueberry Muffin mix - Yield (36 Standard Muffins)

2 cups ground rolled oats (in a blender to make flour)

½ cup whole wheat flour

1 ½ cup all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

½ tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. baking powder

¾ Cup vegetable oil

3 eggs (for mix, use 6 Tbsp egg powder + ½ cup water)

2 Cups Skim Milk

1.5 tsp vanilla extract

1.5 tsp lemon zest

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

3 Cups frozen Blueberries

Also Serving:

1. Fresh Berries (Thawed)

2. Fruit Salad (Tropical Blend, with pineapple/mango/strawberries)

3. Smoothie, Blueberry Banana Oatmeal

4. Smoothie, Blueberry, Plain

5. Parfait, Blueberry

6. Parfait, Mixed Berry (What type of berry?)

Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Smoothie

½ cup instant oats Cook oats according to package directions, then blend all ingredients

2 cups water Makes about 2 cups

½ cup skim milk

½ cup frozen blueberries

½ ripe banana

½ tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbsp sugar

½ cup ice

Servings: 2 • Size: 1-3/4 cup • Old Points: 4 pts • Weight Watcher Points+: 5 pt

Calories: 180• Fat: 2 g • Carb: 38 g • Fiber: 4 g • Protein: 3 g • Sugar: 8 g

Sodium: 52.5 mg • Cholest: 0 mg

Plain Blueberry Smoothie

½ cup skim milk Blend all ingredients, makes about 2 cups.

½ cup plain nonfat yogurt

1 cup frozen berries

1 tsp honey

Per serving: Calories 194; Total Fat 1 gram; Saturated Fat 0 grams; Mono Fat: 0 grams; Poly Fat:

0 grams; Protein 10 grams; Total Carbohydrate 40 grams; Fiber 4 grams; Cholesterol 5

milligrams; Sodium 133 milligrams